Verstappen fastest in quali but Sainz to start from pole

Max Verstappen set the pace in qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix but it will be Carlos Sainz starting from pole position in Spa-Francorchamps.

The drivers headed into qualifying knowing the grid would be very different for tomorrow’s race, as seven drivers have penalties for changing power unit components.

Verstappen’s penalties mean he’ll start from 15th, just ahead of title rival Charles Leclerc, who also takes a new engine for this race.

Sainz will be joined by Sergio Perez on the front row, while Fernando Alonso will go from third.

Alex Albon had a strong qualifying performance for Williams, reaching Q3 on pace before being moved up to 6th for tomorrow’s race due to others’ penalties, while McLaren tried a tow to get Daniel Ricciardo into Q3, but he didn’t have the pace to make it through.

Sebastian Vettel was among those to drop out in Q1, expressing his disappointment over the team radio, but others’ penalties mean he’ll start from 10th.

Of all the drivers with penalties, Valtteri Bottas will start the highest in 14th as his penalty was 30 places, while the other six drivers were instructed to start from the back of the grid.

The penalties mean no driver will line up on the grid in the position that they finished in qualifying.

Provisional qualifying result:

1 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)*

2. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)*

5. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)*

6. Fernando Alonso (Alpine)

7. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

8. George Russell (Mercedes)

9. Alex Albon (Williams)

10. Lando Norris (McLaren)*

11. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren)

12. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri)

13. Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo)*

14. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

15. Mick Schumacher (Haas)*

16. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin)

17. Nicholas Latifi (Williams)

18. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

19. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)

20. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)*

*Leclerc, Verstappen, Bottas, Zhou, Norris, Schumacher and Ocon will all receive grid penalties for changing power unit elements.